Heartwarming Red Bean Porridge with Glutinous Millet Dumplings
Dongji Red Bean Porridge (Winter Solstice Special)
This is the red bean porridge we enjoyed on the last Winter Solstice. Using glutinous millet flour for the ‘saealshim’ (small dumplings) made them even more nutty and delicious! This recipe offers a rich, comforting flavor perfect for the cold season.
Red Bean Porridge Ingredients
- 2 cups red beans
- 1 cup non-glutinous rice
- 3L water
- 1 Tbsp salt
Chewy and Nutty Dumplings (Saealshim)
- 500g glutinous millet flour
- 6 Tbsp hot water
- 500g glutinous millet flour
- 6 Tbsp hot water
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse the non-glutinous rice thoroughly and soak it in cold water for 1 hour. The red beans do not need to be pre-soaked.
Step 2
Place the red beans in a pot and cover them with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, discard the first cooking water to remove any bitterness. Add 3L of fresh water and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the red beans are very soft and cooked through. Add water in two or three additional portions if it evaporates too much during cooking.
Step 3
Now, let’s make the dumpling dough. Gradually add the 6 Tbsp of hot water to the glutinous millet flour, mixing as you go. The dough should have a consistency slightly softer than songpyeon (Korean rice cakes). Once combined, knead the dough well to develop its chewiness. Shape the dough into small, round dumplings (‘saealshim’). Cover the shaped dumplings with plastic wrap or a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
Step 4
Once the red beans are tender (after simmering for about 1 hour), drain the soaked non-glutinous rice and add it to the pot with the red beans. From this point on, maintain a low heat to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom or clumping.
Step 5
Check the rice for doneness. After about 10 minutes of cooking with the rice, the grains will swell and the porridge will start to thicken. Continue to cook until the rice is fully cooked and soft.
Step 6
Using an immersion blender (like a ‘dokkaebi bangmangi’) will help create a smoother porridge by breaking down the red bean skins. Blend the porridge while stirring continuously to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Finally, add 1 Tbsp of salt to lightly season the porridge, which will enhance the natural nutty flavor of the red beans.
Step 7
In a separate pot, bring a generous amount of water to a rolling boil for cooking the dumplings. Once the water is boiling vigorously, carefully drop the shaped dumplings into the pot one by one.
Step 8
The dumplings are cooked when they float to the surface. Let them cook for about 10 more seconds after they float to ensure a perfectly chewy texture.
Step 9
Once cooked, immediately scoop out the dumplings and rinse them under cold water to cool them down. This step helps prevent the dumplings from sticking together and ensures a firm, chewy bite.
Step 10
Ladle the warm red bean porridge into bowls. Generously top with the cooled dumplings that were rinsed in cold water. The combination of the creamy red bean porridge and the chewy dumplings is simply delightful.
Step 11
This freshly made, warm red bean porridge is especially delicious served with crisp dongchimi (radish kimchi) or refreshing baek kimchi (white kimchi). Enjoy the fantastic harmony of tangy kimchi and savory red bean porridge.
